Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Taking Stock

In Social Studies, the stock market is about to crash. As soon as we get back from next week's break, we're rushing headlong into the great depression.

Yesterday, we learned what stocks were. Today, we played the market.

I told my class that each person had one share of stock in the class. That share was worth the same amount as the class's section sheet score (1 to 5 -- but for our purposes, it could keep going up and up if they were good.)

That share could also be "sold" for as many candies as its value. We started out at five. A few people, thinking either of their class's history of bad behavior or their hunger, sold out immediately.

We went as high as eight, and a few of the smartest or luckiest sold then. A few even invested half of their winnings back into the market, betting that the class would get more quiet after S. and A. were pulled out for math help.

At the beginning of third period, I warned them, like a good broker, that the class's behavior usually got worse and worse as lunch approached, and, though we were only at a five, it might be best to cut their losses and sell now. Those who held on until the end were not pleased to receive only four candies. That's investing, I suppose.